ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores the idea of whiteness and the influence of binary thinking at the heart of Western Modernity, arguing for ‘profound thinking’ that allows more creative epistemologies to emerge. It presents whiteness in social work knowledge from the perspective of the privileged white male and identifies some aspects of conventional social work that can be challenged and critiqued. The book provides a Muslim framework that positions aspects such as love, food, hospitality, family and community at the heart of practices that begin to undo white epistemologies. It examines alternative and marginal social work practices in Brazil, particularly Indigenous movements, and their potential to disrupt whiteness. The book highlights the extent to which white Western Modernity dominates mainstream social work vocabulary, and to stimulate discussion and further exploration around alternative knowledges.
